Little Red
by Sadashi
Summary: Bella and Paul never met in New Moon. It's the night of the newborn lesson and one glance changes everything. "Well," he purred as he turned to face her fully, "Isn't this interesting?" Bella couldn't speak. She could barely breathe as his voice seemed to wrap around her like a blanket made of the softest fabric known to man. What was he doing to her?
1. In A Moment

**Disclaimer:** Twilight in no way belongs to me. If it did, I'd be ridiculously famous and have an ass of money. I'd also be a well-recognized best-selling author, but I'm not, so. . .

 **AN** : Hey guys! So, I decided to write another story! As you can see, this one is actually Twilight.

This is my second fic being published, my first being **Of Cigarettes and Desire**. That was a multi-chapter South Park fic, and since I liked writing that one so much, I figured I would try my hand at a longer one.

If there's ever anything you don't like for a specific reason, or if there are little things I could do to improve my writing, then feel free to let me know in a review or PM.

 **AN 2:** Okay, so the idea came to me after reading a few Bella/Paul stories; some great, some good, and some cringe-worthy.

I was always upset because, while you don't see much of Paul in The Twilight Saga, I'd gotten kind of obsessed with the thought of he and Bella as a couple, which didn't surprise me because I always love a bad boy.

Now, these stories always seem to have a catch. They're either so bad and out of character that I can't read them, or they're good/great, but they never get finished. I hate reading incomplete stories because there's always the possibility that the author can simply abandon them.

So, I decided to write one myself. Hope you like it.

 **AN 3:** It's been a while since I've read the series, so I will be taking some liberties here and there. I'll also be changing some characters a bit, nothing major (hopefully), just some minor tweaking. Also, I can't for the life of me remember when Jacob tells Bella about imprinting, so I'm just gonna say he did it around the time she found out he was a wolf. Also, I like the technology of today, so I might use some things and songs that weren't out when Eclipse came out.

 **Full Summary:**

Imagine that Bella and Paul didn't meet in New Moon. It's the night of the newborn lesson and one glance changes everything.

"Well," he purred as he turned to face her fully, "Isn't this interesting?"

Bella couldn't speak.

She could barely breathe as his voice seemed to wrap around her like a blanket made of the softest fabric known to man.

What was happening?

What was he doing to her?

Why did her body suddenly _yearn_ for him, like he was the only thing that would _ever_ matter for the re-

Oh no.

Oh _God_ no.

 **Chapter One: In a Moment. . .**

The only thing worse than taking Calculus is _failing_ Calculus, which is exactly what Bella was doing.

 _Student shows no signs of improvement throughout the term. She no longer attempts to complete at-home assignments, and seldom answers correctly on assignments completed during class. Student shows no signs of motivation or desire to successfully complete the course. This is a cause of great concern as the semester draws to a close._

She continued to read her student evaluation as she walked out of the building to the parking lot, though she found she couldn't really care less.

Math was nothing compared to all of the other things she had going on, what with all the vampires and werewolves and whatnot.

 _But noooo . . . forget about possible impending doom, I absolutely need to know how to graph a fucking polynomial. Wait, is that this semester or last semester? Whatever, it doesn't matter._

Still internally fuming, she almost failed to acknowledge Angela, who was waiting for her by her truck.

"Hey, Ange. What's going on?" Bella said while throwing her bag on the seat.

"Well, my mom's going out of town with the twins this weekend, and she didn't feel comfortable leaving me alone for that long, so I told her I'd ask someone to come over. I obviously wouldn't ask a guy, and most of the other girls are friends with Lauren and they gossip a lot, and you're the only one I could probably spend that much time with and not have it get weird," Angela said in a rush, face getting redder by the second.

Bella stared at her for a moment, a little impressed that she said all of that in a single breath.

"So you want me to come over this weekend?" she asked, just to be sure.

"If you wouldn't mind, yeah."

"Yeah, of course. It should be fun; we don't really do things outside of school these days."

Angela beamed, seemingly very relieved.

"Great! Kay, I'll let my mom know. I gotta get home to wait for the twins, but I'll talk to you tomorrow," she said while making her way to her car.

Bella simply nodded with a smile and got into her truck, making her way home.

**LR**

Somehow making her way downstairs without injury, Bella opened the front door, surprised at the person on the other side of it.

"Seth, what are you doing here? It's almost nine and it's a school night."

There, on Bella's porch at 8:47 on a Thursday night, was little Seth Clearwater. Well, he wasn't really so little anymore; he was taller than her now, and filling out all the time. However, the shy but determined look on his face was like looking at a little kid, but she decided not to mention that to him.

"Hey Bella. Um, can I come in?"

"Sure," Bella said, stepping back to let him in.

"Where's Edward? Is he here?"

"No, they went hunting so they'd be good at the meet-up," she answered slowly.

"Oh. Good. Good," he said absently.

He paced around for a minute, and he looked kind of nervous.

"Seth, what's up? What's going on?" Bella asked, confused and needing to know what was going on with him.

Seth drew himself up to his full height, set a weird face, and said, "I need to know what your intentions are with Jacob."

Bella's face went through so many changes in that moment.

Shock. Irritation. Amusement.

She settled on amusement.

"He's my best friend, so I guess my intentions are for him to stay my best friend. Maybe have friendly excursions sometimes, have some fun. I don't know what you want me to say, Seth," she said with a bemused smile.

Seth seemed to deflate, and Bella felt a little bad for him, but he was the one who made the decision to make this little trip.

"You know he's in love with you. Hell, everyone knows! He's not shy about it," he said, dropping down onto the couch.

Bella sighed and went to sit next to him, running a hand through her hair.

"I'm sorry Seth, I really am. I just don't feel that way about him. I love him, I really do; just not in that way, and I've told him this multiple times. He just won't accept it. He thinks things are gonna suddenly change, but they're not. I don't know how to explain it, but I _know_ that we don't belong together, Seth."

He looked at her with defeat on his face, but acceptance seemed to share the space.

He put on a hand on her head and ruffled her hair, laughing when she tried to bat his hand away. He sighed and pulled her close.

"I guess I understand; you can't help who you love. I just don't really get the whole vampire thing, but to each their own, right?" he said with a chuckle.

 _Should I tell him? I mean, it's Seth, he's not gonna rub it in my face, and he's not gonna excessively celebrate._

"Actually, I'm thinking of breaking up with Edward."

He went still. So did she.

The words hung in the air, and the ramifications of what she just said started coming to mind, but it was too late. She'd already said them.

"Are you serious right now? Like, seriously serious?"

"Yes, I'm seriously serious," Bella said, smiling at the extremely teenage response.

"Why? I mean, not that I have a problem with this, or don't have a problem with it, but – "

Seth's start to a surely spastic line of questioning was interrupted by a strong knock at the door.

Bella got up to answer it, silently wondering why she was getting so many unexpected visitors tonight.

"She really didn't expect Sam Uley's imposing form at her door.

"Sam? What are you doing here?"

"I'm here to get Seth. He didn't get home after patrol and he has school tomorrow," he said in that no-nonsense voice of his.

Bella heard movement behind her, and turned to see that Seth had come up behind her. His head was down, but his eyes connected with hers, message being passed clearly.

 _This conversation isn't over._

Bella nodded, knowing this for certain.

He moved passed her and Sam, making his way into the trees after a jaunty wave to her that returned in the same manner.

To her surprise, Sam didn't immediately leave, instead sitting down on her stoop.

"Sit with me for a second, Bella. I want us to have a talk."

Puzzled, Bella did as he bade, settling down comfortably next to him.

"I heard your talk with Seth."

Bella was silent. Which part, she wanted to ask him.

"Are you honestly considering leaving Edward?"

This was Sam. He'd found her in the woods when she'd been lost and given up on life when her only reason for living suddenly up and left with a few callous words and no hope to go on.

He'd come to visit her almost every day when she was learning to live again, and was happy when Jacob came back into her life.

He'd been extremely upset when she'd run off to Italy to save Edward from killing himself, and their relationship had suffered greatly when she got back together with him. He couldn't understand how she could take him back after all that she'd been through because of him, but he still only had her wellbeing in mind.

For him to hear, from her own mouth no less, that she was thinking of leaving him must have been like a sign from Taha Aki himself.

Because he was Sam, and because of what he meant to her and she to him, she'd tell him the truth.

"Yeah. Yeah, I am."

 **AN:** Here we are at the end! If anyone's even reading this, I really wanna know what you think, so if you could, just leave me a review!


	2. Everything Can Change

**Disclaimer:** Twilight in no way belongs to me. If it did, I'd be ridiculously famous and have an ass of money. I'd also be a well-recognized best-selling author, but I'm not, so. . .

 **ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS:** Guys I am just so overwhelmed and touched by the amount of reviews I got within two hours of posting the first chapter! So I'd like to give thanks to the following: **decadenceofmysoul, csmdkmka, moraine9, eschoenh, trutwilightfantasy, and 3 guests**! Thanks guys, it really means a lot!

 **AN:** Chapter 2 you guys! This shit is honestly so hard to write, because I did the first two and a half chapters in one day. That day is today, and frankly, I'm tired as hell. Anyway, you must've liked the first chapter a little if you came back for more. I'm gonna be honest with you, the first chapter was really hard for me. It was a little forced, but I got it out. Things seem to flow a little better after that, but whatever. I will try to post the next chapter tomorrow after work; I've already started it, so it shouldn't take too long.

Without further ado, here's chapter two.

 **Chapter Two: . . . Everything Can Change**

After a long ass conversation with Sam about why she wanted to break up with Edward, he left and she went back inside.

She called Charlie and let him know about her spending the weekend at Angela's house. He was fine with it, especially since he was going to be away at some conference in Seattle until Tuesday. She wished him a good night and promised to check in with him at least once every day.

She decided against telling him about her decision about Edward. She knew he'd be ecstatic, although he'd try to hide it to be sensitive. She just wanted to wait until they could talk face to face.

Afterwards, she got a snack and went to her room to watch one of her favorite movies.

She drifted off that night, laughing at God being called a cock-sucking asshole and kids singing about uncle fuckers.

**LR**

Bella woke slowly, as usual.

Eyes still blurry, she turned off her alarm and got her things to jump in the shower.

School that morning was not a priority.

Was it ever really?

Thankfully, it was Friday, which meant that she didn't have a first period, which also meant that she had extra time on Friday mornings.

When she left the bathroom, it was about a quarter after eight, meaning she had about an hour until second period.

After getting dressed and getting her bags ready, she drove to Angela's house.

Seeing only one car in the driveway, she figured that her mom and the twins had already left. As she went to knock on the door, it swung open, startling both girls.

"Oh hey, I was just gonna call and ask if you were ready. Here, do you wanna just throw your bag inside?" Angela asked, motioning back inside.

"Sure," Bella replied, tossing her duffle into the foyer. "Did you want breakfast? I'm buying."

Angela nodded as she locked the door.

"Sure, where?"

"BK maybe?" Bella said, getting into the car.

Angela didn't have a problem with it, so they made their way to Burger King for breakfast, and then made their way to school.

Walking through the school doors, Bella comforted herself by keeping the fact that she only had to go to two actual classes that day, and she would spend the rest of her day in the library.

**LR**

With nothing to do but laze about, school ended fairly quickly that day, which led to Angela and Bella going back to the former's house to just hang.

Both teens decided to do their homework for the weekend, just to get it out of the way. Angela did it to be practical; Bella did it because she didn't know if she'd have time for it later.

She was finished before Angela, since she had more free time during the day to get most of her work done at school. She got up to get a drink, asking the other girl if she wanted anything.

"Sprite, thanks. Hey, are you done with your calc work?" Angela asked Bella, raising her voice a little since said girl had gone in the kitchen to get them snacks.

"Nope. Didn't start, and I'm not gonna," she yelled back, grabbing a couple bags of chips and two sodas, along with a few other things. She juggled them in her arms until she made it back to living room, kneeling on the carpet and spilling her spoils on the floor.

"What?! Why not?" Angela asked, peeling a Twizzler out of its bag.

Bella sighed as she stretched out on her stomach, propped up on her elbow while she stared down at her phone.

"Well you see, my bespectacled friend, I am failing Calculus terribly. So terribly that I could never bring that grade back, though I wouldn't even try. The thing is, I don't care, because I don't need it. I already have my four math credits that I need to graduate; they just put me in that class because they didn't wanna give me another free period. With that in mind, I didn't really try all that hard, so when I found out that I didn't know what the fuck was going on, I didn't try at all," Bella explained in a much less formal matter from how she explained it to the teacher before her, and the guidance counselor before him.

Angela looked as if she understood, but also like she would be afraid to deliberately not do her work.

They continued to talk as she did her work, and Bella read on her phone, until about six, when Bella got a call.

Well, calls and texts, to be precise.

Sam texted her, while she spent a few minutes speaking with both Edward _and_ Jacob.

The gist of it all was to make sure that she was ok and about the training session about newborns.

She decided to just chance going with Jake and hope he didn't take it in any other way but friendly.

And when was she gonna tell Edward?

Oh boy.

**LR**

Bella had made her way to the corner after assuring Angela that she'd be fine and that Jacob was waiting for her at the end of the street. Bella'd decided to tell him to meet her there because she didn't want Angela's neighbors telling her mother that boys on motorcycles had been coming by.

They'd then made their way to the clearing, where mostly everyone else was waiting, save a few missing members of the pack.

She made the rounds after dismounting, going around for greetings with the pack, then the Cullen's. Afterwards, she found a nice little spot in between sides to settle down in with her phone, pulling out her headphones and setting them on a low enough volume to hear if someone called her.

At some point, she felt Seth settle down next to her. He nosed into her side and gave a low, lupine whine, and she absentmindedly ran her fingers through his fur, scratching between his ears.

After introductions, everyone had been pairing off, Jasper overseeing and correcting stances. Sometimes Bella found it hard to believe that Edward wanted to keep her away from him; he could be her strongest protector, an intimidating and powerful ally if she ever needed one.

She watched him for a while, seeing but not hearing him call out matches between enemies coming together to fight a common evil. She saw him peruse the wolves, stopping on someone she couldn't see. She paused the song she'd been listening to, and stood.

She didn't know why she stood; she just did.

Jasper stood staring at someone for a moment before he said anything.

"Paul, is it?" he asked in his easy Southern drawl.

Paul. She'd heard that name before, from certain people in the Pack. It was almost always something bad. Paul's a bastard, Paul's bad news, Paul's dangerous, and so forth. Though she'd heard these things about him, she'd never really seen him, for no more than a split second really.

Looks like she'd finally get the chance.

A man came forward, and she said man because he was incredibly tall. Sure, everyone's tall to someone at a height of 5'2, but he had to be like six and a half feet tall. His hair was a sleek midnight, a little past his shoulders and disheveled. Unlike the others, he was fully dressed. He wore a simple black t-shirt and jeans, with what looked like some kind of boots.

Doc Martens maybe?

He'd passed the line of wolves and was almost past her spot with Seth when he gave her a quick glance, then continuing on his way.

Or so it seemed.

Because as soon as he'd looked her way, and their eyes connected, he stopped.

He looked at her for a long moment, and then looked at. . . Edward?

A smirk built on his face, his extremely handsome face, as Bella could see now.

"Well," he purred as he turned to face her fully, "Isn't this interesting?"

When their eyes met fully, Bella felt as if a wave had gone through her, setting a chill in her bones, a fire in her heart. She didn't know what she felt; she'd never felt anything like it before.

Bella couldn't speak.

She could barely breathe as his voice seemed to wrap around her like a blanket made of the softest fabric known to man.

What was happening?

What was he _doing_ to her?

Why did her body suddenly _yearn_ for him, like he was the only thing that would _ever_ matter for the re-

Oh no.

Oh _God_ no.

 **AN:** And this is where the fun really starts! I'm hoping it'll be easier to write from this point on, since I've gotten into the interesting part. Leave me a review and let me know what you think!


	3. This Changes Things

**Disclaimer:** Twilight in no way belongs to me. If it did, I'd be ridiculously famous and have an ass of money. I'd also be a well-recognized best-selling author, but I'm not, so. . .

 **ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS:** I woke up this morning to more reviews, and came home from work to even more! It's so great to know that people like my writing and are interested in what's gonna happen, even though I don't really know myself. I'd like to thank the following people: **tabby1216, SleepiPanda, Ashatan87, eschoenh, Zblue, Stelle's Pen, and 2 guests!**

 **Recommended Reading:** Guys, there is such an amazing Bella/Paul fic called **The Devil You Know** by _Unseelie Sidhe._ If you love Bella/Paul and you haven't read this story, then you absolutely have to! It's a must; there is no way that you can't read this story. I usually don't read unfinished stories; that's just my thing. However, this fic caught me and would not let me go. I cannot recommend it enough! It's a really good length, the writing is terrific and Paul is just fucking everything. He's hot, he's badass, he's caring, he's a lot of other shit that I can't really explain! That's why you just need to read it.

 **AN:** I am just so happy that people like this story! I finished writing this literally as soon as I got home from work, no snacks or anything. However, this is the last chapter I already had partly written, and I work the next few days, so I'll probably be updating again on Friday. Anyway, on to chapter 3!

 **Chapter Three: This Changes Things**

There's no _possible_ way that that just happened.

No. No. No, no, no. She wouldn't believe it, _couldn't_ believe it.

Her eyes were shut tight, her breathing shallow, and she stood as still as time seemed to be.

No one spoke; there was no noise, in fact, save those of nature.

As far as she could tell, everyone was stock still, but her eyes wouldn't open so she could tell.

She could feel him, though.

She could tell he'd come to stand in front of her, could _feel_ him, his _heat_ seeming to warm her skin through her clothes, though he couldn't possibly be standing _that_ close.

Her hand fisted in Seth's fur, latching onto him like a lifeline in the sea of fucked-upness that was surely her life.

There was something deep inside of her though, something glaringly _new,_ that told her to hold onto _him_ if she needed strength. That _he_ would be all that she'd need, for whatever reason he was needed.

Bella didn't want to open her eyes.

She knew that it'd change everything.

As soon as she did, they'd fall into each other's arms and forget the world around them. She'd forget all about Edward and the fact that he wanted to marry her. She'd forget all about Jacob and the fact that he was in love with her and suffering.

Okay, it probably wouldn't go _exactly_ like that, but Bella wasn't ready for such a sudden change.

That wouldn't change the current situation; the elephant in the clearing, so to speak.

 _Paul Lahote had imprinted on Bella Swan._

Bella was frozen, and she had no plans on moving anytime soon.

 _Maybe I can curl up in a ball and no one will notice,_ she thought to herself. _Maybe I can just pass out and –_

Her inner musings came to a halt, and her eyes popped open, when she felt a hand on her face.

A large, warm hand that tilted her head up, cupping her cheek as if she were the most delicate thing in existence, as if she would break if he were to hold her too tightly.

He was as close as she'd thought, closer.

His eyes were dark, and she would've called them black if such a thing were possible. They were also filled with such intensity that Bella found herself trapped in his gaze, much like prey in the eyes of a much larger predator.

There was a smirk on his face, though it didn't seem malicious, more . . . smug maybe? She didn't know why he would be feeling smug; it's not like he'd planned this or something. It's not like someone'd tried to keep them apart, only for them to end up together.

So what was up with the face?

Bella didn't realize that, while she'd been drawn in by his eyes and confused by his expression, he'd been drawing her closer, slowly but surely.

" _No!"_ she heard from across the field. "Get away from her!"

She was broken out of her trance, and only then realized how close she now was to him, this unknown man who she'd suddenly become connected to. The blush that covered her face was surely an impressive shade of red, as she could only guess by the amusement she now saw clearly on his.

She drew back, noting his displeasure at the gesture. Searching the field, she looked first at the wolves, and then at the vampires. Both supernatural races seemed stunned, though there was a range of emotions far and wide.

The shout had come from Jacob, whom was being held by Sam and Jared, who of course had known what happened, having personally experienced it themselves.

The other wolves looked unsure of what to do or think, knowing that a new imprint should be celebrated, but also knowing of Jacob's often declared love of said imprint.

The Cullen's were a whole different story. Their emotions were written clear on their faces, from Rosalie's disgust to Jasper's contemplation.

Edward . . .

 _Oh, Edward._

He wore the most devastated expression she'd ever seen, eyes glued to the two of them like they were the only thing that existed. His gaze switched from Paul to Bella, then back again and again. Alice had a hand on his arm, doing her best to comfort him while desperately searching Bella's future.

Emmett was obviously lost and decided to let everyone know it.

"What the hell is going on?" he asked exasperatedly.

No one spoke up. Though the wolves weren't fond of the vampire family, they also didn't want to rub salt in such fresh, painful wounds.

It was Edward who answered him though.

"He imprinted on her," he said in a bleak tone, voice thin and unsteady.

The night had taken an unbelievably unexpected turn.

**LR**

Lying in bed that night, Bella couldn't sleep, which was understandable.

After _it_ happened, Bella had told Edward that she'd talk to him Sunday afternoon when she got home. She was going to spend the rest of the weekend at Angela's house as planned, with no drama whatsoever. He'd simply nodded and given her a sad smile, and she knew their talk wouldn't be a happy one.

She'd also told Paul that he could come by Monday after school so they could sort out their situation. The big Were had just given her a lazy grin and told her he'd see her then. She wished she knew how _that_ talk would go.

Everything she thought she'd known about her relationship and her future had been changed tonight, and in the blink of an eye no less. It'd taken no more than a few minutes for Paul to take priority over Edward in her mind, though she could still think clearly. She was just extremely aware of his newfound importance in her life.

Sighing, she got out of the bed slowly, so as not to wake Angela. She made her way to the kitchen, getting a drink and a little something to snack on while she thought.

Flipping through channels, she stopped on MTV Classic, where reruns of "Daria" were playing.

Ecstatic at finding one of her favorite shows on, she took that as a sign that she needed to just rest her mind for a while and deal with her problems tomorrow.

After all, "Daria" was on, and she'd been through a lot.

She'd make decisions in the morning . . . or whenever she woke back up.

 **AN:** I don't know why, but this chapter was a little hard to write. I don't know if it's because this is the turning point of the story, or maybe because I was at work all day. Either way, I hope the next chapter flows a little better. Drop a review and let me know what you thought, good or bad!


	4. Fuck Sunday's

**Disclaimer** : Twilight in no way belongs to me. If it did, I'd be ridiculously famous, be rich as fuck and it'd have sex in it. I'd also be a well-recognized best-selling author, but I'm not, so. . .

 **ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS and AN:** So, yeah, it's been a while. I'm so fucking sorry, guys, you can't even believe! I've been so busy with work, and then when I'm off, I just wanna relax. That's no excuse, though. I made the mistake of posting the first 3 chapters in one night, while what I should have done was space them out. Then everyone was waiting for the next chapter, and that was all I wrote, and I started getting kinda iffy about the story as a whole. I was like, is this any good, should I even bother. I started to quit, but I always said I'd never abandon a story. I started seeing your reviews and that encouraged me to start again. So, I really do appreciate all of the feedback and I'll try to keep on track and not let insecurity catch me again.

Anyway, on to the long-awaited chapter 4! I really hope you enjoy!

 **Chapter 4: Fuck Sunday's**

The weekend had passed by in a blur. She and Angela had binge watched TV shows, eaten a ridiculous amount of junk and done basically nothing productive. It'd been nice to hang out with a normal person, no one trying to kill her, no being self-conscious about her actions. It was a great weekend and she'd love to do it again. In fact, they'd made plans for a couple weeks later, when Angela's mom went out of town again.

However, it was only all too soon that Bella was back home and waiting for Edward to arrive.

Although she'd had a ton of fun, the coming conversation had been in the back of her mind the entire weekend, her laughs not as full, her smiles a little dimmer. No matter how much fun she'd been having or how drawn in she'd been by a show, he'd always come back to her mind.

And he wasn't the only one. Her newly discovered imprint was coming over the next day, and she wasn't yet sure how to feel about that. Sure, she knew that they had to have a talk, and sooner rather than later, but she wasn't really feeling it.

She wasn't really feeling _anything_ at the moment. Well, except for tired, physically that is. Obviously, she hadn't slept that well, so it was understandable that all she wanted to do, after putting all of her things away, was just lay down for a while.

 _But, of course_ , she thought as she opened her bedroom door. _No time to relax._

Why, you ask?

Because there was Edward, in his self-appointed seat, waiting for her.

Bella wished she could just close the door, go back downstairs and pretend that he wasn't there, but she knew that they absolutely _had_ to have this talk. So, with a sigh, she put on her big girl panties and sat down on her bed.

Now, to actually start the conversation. . .

Fortunately (or unfortunately), Edward took the initiative.

"Why didn't you call when you got home? I was waiting to hear from you."

"I wasn't aware I had to call you the second I walked through the door; I haven't even been home an hour. And I thought I told you I'd let you know what time to come over?"

"When I didn't hear from you, I asked Alice to look for you and she told me when you'd be back. She said you wouldn't be busy, so I decided to come over."

Bella was sort of irked that he just decided that he could come over without any notice like that, but she wouldn't make it a huge thing. Besides, he did it all of the time, and she would usually be so excited to see him that she wouldn't think about it. However, for some reason, it kinda rubbed her the wrong way this time.

"Okay, so obviously we need to talk. Some stuff happened the other night, something we clearly we weren't expecting, and we of course need to address it," Bella said, putting her annoyance to the side and focusing on the issue at hand.

"I completely agree, and I have some news that I'm sure you'll be happy to hear," he said, with a slight smile.

 _Why the hell is he smiling? This isn't gonna be good news. . ._

"Before you say anything, I just wanna start off by saying that I never thought that this would happen. Of course I never did, who _would_? Anyway, it happened and we can't ignore it. Paul imprinted on me, and I want to try to get to know him and see what happens. Which means that we, meaning you and I, can't be together anymore."

Neither of them said anything for a moment, but Bella could see Edward's expression change, the smile slipping from his face and his brow furrowing.

"I came over to tell you that I did some research and that _this_ , him imprinting on you, doesn't have to change anything. Bella, love, _he_ imprinted on _you_ ; you have no obligation to him. You don't have to be with him. The wolf is supposed to be whatever the imprint needs, so he could just be a friend, or you could just not associate with him at all. There's no need for us to not be together," he explained, smile crawling back onto his face.

 _Ohhh, this is SO not going how I expected._

He reached out to grab Bella's hand, but she drew back a little. He didn't seem to notice, and his skin felt extremely cold to her, more so than usual. It was just on the edge of unpleasant, and she itched to pull away from him, but she knew the news she was about to deliver wasn't gonna be easy, and she didn't wanna be unnecessarily cold to him.

"Edward. . . I don't wanna be with you anymore. Before you say anything, this has nothing to do with Paul, besides the fact that I'm telling you now. I've been thinking about this for a while, and I just think that we don't work well together anymore. We're too different in ideals and mind sets, and I can't argue with you anymore. I don't feel like myself anymore, and I feel it's best to go my own way and try to find who I was, or maybe who I am now," Bella said, apologetically but serious.

He said Alice looked in my future, so why didn't she see that this conversation wouldn't go in his favor?

He coincidentally answered her thoughts when he slid closer to her and peered down at her, staring deeply into her eyes. His gaze was intense, seemingly trying to drill into her mind.

"Love, we're perfect; we've been through so much to be together and I love you more than I can explain. You want to be with me too, you're just confused. Why don't we go and see the family, and you can talk it over with Alice?"

The way he spoke, it was a soft, soothing tone, meant to lull her into complacency.

 _He was trying to dazzle her. Alice saw this and he figured he'd be able to change my mind._

 _That bitch!_

 _Who the fuck did he think he was?_

Actually, the bigger question was, why wasn't it working?

"I think you should leave, Edward."

His smile dimmed, and he looked confused, but he stood.

He gave her one last questioning glance, and then he left.

And that was that.

**LR**

Sunday's are the worst part of the weekend; sure, it's still the weekend, but it's the last day and a reminder that the next day is Monday.

This Sunday just so happened to be the day that Bella decided to talk to her (ex?) vampire boyfriend about the fact that a fucking werewolf was apparently her soulmate and that she was breaking up with the aforementioned vampire to pursue a relationship with said werewolf.

Yeah . . . Sunday's are great.

 **AN** : So . . . what'd you think? Was it worth the wait? Next chapter is Monday: back at school and the talk with Paul!

Just to be serious for a minute: do you guys really like this story, or should I try something else? I don't really see this in the same light you do, but I guess that's because I wrote it.

If you do, I'll try to have it up by . . . let's say Sunday.


	5. The Third Hand

**Disclaimer:** I do not, in any way, own Twilight. If I did, I would have already accomplished my goal to be a best-selling, well-known author.

 **AN:** I know that it's been entirely too long, and I have no excuses. Well, no excuses that you'd actually care about and so I see no need to explain. Anyway, life has been very busy lately, and I've been feeling particularly uninspired. However, I had a day off and there was also a blizzard. I've been putting writing this story off for a while, but I figured that this was a perfect opportunity to get moving once again.

 **Acknowledgements:** Before we get on with the story, I would just like to say thank you to everyone who reviewed, favorited, and followed! I know this has been a long time coming and that the uploading has been very sporadic, but I'm gonna try to stick to a schedule and prioritize my writing. And now, on to the story.

 **Chapter 5: The Third Hand**

Monday's are rarely the day of the week people look forward to, unless there's some special event or you have no responsibilities. Monday's suck the life out of you, and they make you wish the day was over before it's even really started.

From the moment Bella woke up, she knew the day would not be one she'd enjoy. While getting dressed, she debated going back to sleep, but she knew that she shouldn't, that she had things to do today.

She had to go to school.

 _But do I really?,_ she wondered as she gathered her things.

 _I mean, I'm kinda ahead in my classes, and they're probably not even doing anything but reviewing anyway,_ she reasoned to herself.

It was decided; no school today.

Charlie'd already left for work, so there was no need for explanations.

Bella felt a little giddy as she got back into her pajamas, which she felt no shame about. It's like when you're a kid and you don't don't have to go to school for some reason, or when you got an early release, and you just feel happy. You feel like something amazing is happening and like your day could be an adventure.

After getting settled and back in bed, Bella faced the facts.

"Okay, not going to school today. Didn't really feel like it; could use a day off. Need some time alone to think. And I don't feel stupid talking to myself because no one's around to hear me," she said out loud, feeling a little awkward just talking to no one.

Realising this, she grabbed her phone and picked a playlist of more laid back songs. They were better for thinking or just zoning out.

"Okay," she sighed. "Now I don't feel as weird. So, back to what I was saying. Didn't go to school, need to think. Need to think about Paul. The new guy in my life, who just so happens to be a werewolf. And something happened that means we're destined to be together in some way, shape or form for the rest of our lives. It's looking like it's going to end up being in the romantic sense instead of us being like family or BFF's. I only met him one time, but it didn't seem like he was eager to plan a slumber party."

She paused.

"Well, not _that_ kind of slumber party," she said under her breath. Which made her wonder.

She'd heard more than enough of Jacob's complaining about Paul. How he was an asshole and a psycho, how Sam played favorites. He said he didn't know what Paul did when he wasn't on patrol or with the rest of the pack, only that he was told it was 'none of his damn business'.

She'd also heard a lot about how Paul didn't like her. Hated her, actually, if Jake was to be believed.

However, Paul had seemed like he was more than comfortable with her presence and the quickly unfolding situation. So the question was, how could he be so comfortable having imprinted on a "leech lover"?

Jake had always told her not to worry bout it, that Paul was an ass and that his opinion didn't matter.

It seemed it mattered now, though.

Bella gave a heavy sigh and twisted around into her blankets, feeling a little sleepy. It was still early, and she had a feeling she'd need to be well rested for the coming conversation.

LRLRLR

Bella woke gradually, in no rush to leave her bed.

There was nothing she needed to do, and her scheduled talk wasn't until much later.

 _Well, not_ much, she corrected after looking at the time. _A few hours, depending on what time he shows up._

She'd told him to come by after school. She usually got home around a quarter to four, and he might want to give her time to prepare or whatever, so that might mean he could get there around four thirty or a little later.

On the other hand, he probably didn't know what time she got out of school at all, so he might not get there until a lot later, just to be sure he wasn't interrupting anything.

Or, on a totally random third hand, he could have somehow known that she didn't go to school today, ignored all sense of propriety and be walking into her bedroom.

Just in case you were wondering, it was the third hand.

 **AN:** So... How's it going? I don't really know what to tell you; this chapter was really just to ease myself back into the groove of writing this story. I kinda forgot where I was going with this. Anyway, chapter 6 should be out on Saturday.

 **AN 2:** I find myself wanting to write one-shots, but I'll feel kinda guilty because I haven't finished this story. Would you guys be okay if I post something different every now and then, or would you rather I just focus on this?

 _If anyone was curious, Bella's thinking playlist is my chill playlist:_

 _Calvin Harris – My way_

 _Crystal Castles – Empathy_

 _ASTR - Blue Hawaii_

 _Kyla La Grange – Cut your teeth (kygo remix)_

 _Purity Ring – Stranger than earth_

 _Just a few of my faves…_


	6. The Talk (No, Not That One)

**Disclaimer:** I do not, in any way, own Twilight. If I did, I would have already accomplished my goal to be a best-selling, well-known author.

 **Acknowledgements:** First of all, I just noticed how fucking weird that word looks. Anyway, I cannot begin to thank you guys enough for all of the faves, follows, and reviews. I know that I'm unreliable as hell right now, and that I can't seem to keep my word, but I swear I'm gonna do better and try to do right by you guys!

 **AN:** Okay, so I know that it's been entirely too long, and I said I'd update soon. It's now October, and I'm a fucking liar. I did have a lot going on, though I'm not gonna bore you with it. You're here for the story, not my problems.

However, I think it's important to share that I got addicted to a lot of other fandoms, and that's had a huge impact on my fic inspiration. It seems like the only prompts that come to me now have something to do with Gallavich or Swagger Bishie, and that's a serious problem. Not because I don't wanna write them, but because I don't wanna start a new story until I finish this one.

I think I'll end up posting a couple one-shots here and there, or I'll just write a full-length and just not post until I finish LR.

This chapter seems better than the last one to me, but you guys can be the judge of that. I also tried to give you guys a longer chapter this time, since they've been so short and it's been a while. I handwrote this, though, so hopefully it is longer and didn't just feel like it.

 **Chapter Six: The Talk (No, Not That One)**

Neither of them spoke, the only sound in the room the gentle crooning of The Cure's 'Disintegration'.

They stared at each other for a moment, and then Paul seemingly came to a decision.

He walked over and took a seat in the rocking chair, which Bella had no problem with, seeing as the only other seat was on her bed.

She knew that if neither of them spoke up, then she'd be stubborn and sit there in silence all day. Something told her that he could, too.

"Okay, so we're going to ignore the fact that, first of all, I told you that I'd talk to you after school and, secondly, that I don't exactly know how you got into my house," she said, the question clear in her voice.

"Don't worry about it," he evaded.

Okay, then.

"Obviously, we need to talk so that we can hopefully get on the same page," Bella said, doing her best to keep her voice steady and her tone totally calm.

Because that's what she was: totally calm and not at all worried about the following conversation or the outcome and its long-time ramifications on her life.

At this, an indecipherable expression appeared on his face. Maybe calculating, questioning with a hint of amusement? She couldn't tell (as usual, with his stupidly expressive face). All she knew was that he really hadn't spoken yet, and that made her even more nervous.

Not that she was nervous. Nope, not at all.

No anxiety for this girl.

What reason could she even have to be nervous? It's not like anything is gonna change in her life except for her friends, her boyfriend, what supernatural creatures she hangs around and basically every facet of her current day-to-day life.

 _What even is my life?_

He must have sensed her slow descent into yet another existential crisis, because he decided to put her out of her misery.

Well, kind of.

It wasn't until that moment when she really registered just how . . . _stunning_ he was.

With his lips slightly curled in the semblance of a smile, he looked at her with half-lidded eyes through dark lashes.

 _It's like he's something out of a goddamn romance novel._

What he said wasn't what she expected, and it left her at a loss as of where to go from there.

"Whatever you say, sweetheart."

 _See, what'd I tell ya?_

At a total loss.

LRLRLRLR

Their talk went really well, considering the situation that they'd found themselves in.

She let him know that she and Edward had broken up, he told her that he had no prior obligations whatsoever, and they both made it clear that they wanted to try and pursue the imprint and explore whatever could happen between them.

Bella had been dreading having this talk ever since she brought it up, but she's extremely glad to have gotten it over with.

There's a certain sense of accomplishment, but there's a larger feeling of . . . relief? No, more like a weight lifting off of her shoulders while a more comfortable one settles in her chest, grounding her a little more.

By the time they finish saying what needs to be said and getting to know a little about each other, it's after seven and the sun's long gone.

Bella's gotten a late start on dinner while she and Paul finish up when she gets a call from Charlie.

She'd been wondering where he was when he hadn't come home and spazzed out wondering what twenty-two year old Paul Lahote was doing in her bedroom for hours.

"Did you wanna stay for dinner?" Bella asked, after learning that Charlie would be held up at the station until late.

She knew that she sounded a little too hopeful, but something inside her needed to know if he liked her cooking.

 _I guess imprinting gives you a lot of foreign, weird ass feelings,_ she thought with (what she hoped was) an internal eye roll.

Still, she couldn't fight the tiny feeling of disappointment she got when he declined, getting up from his seat at her kitchen table, which looked strangely small next to him.

"Nah, Sam was definitely expecting me back a while ago; my phone's been buzzing like crazy for the last couple hours. He's probably had a hell of a time with Loverboy, though," he explained with a smug grin, clearly enjoying the thought of Jake flipping his shit about Paul and Bella.

 _Oh good god, what the hell am I gonna do about Jake?_

"Well, at least take a plate with you," she told him as she cut a square of lasagne the size of her head.

She's glad that he seems appreciative, since she'd hate it if he was one of those guys who feel entitled to a woman cooking him meals.

As she walks him to the door, she can't help but to think that this whole thing turned out way better than she could have ever hoped.

Both talks were out of the way, and she'd straightened out her relationships with both gentlemen.

She and Edward were a thing of the past. A very, _very_ recent past, but past all the same.

Paul seemed nice and actually kinda cool, and that was great, considering that they were going to be in each other's lives regardless of what happened between them romantically.

Jacob was understandably upset about the whole situation, but it didn't really have anything to do with him. She'd let him know, time and time again, that she had no romantic designs on him and that his were definitely unreturned. If he still couldn't accept that after all this and stop his foolishness, then that was his problem.

She's got enough to worry about, with her distraught vampire ex and her newly-established werewolf imprint.

All in all, the whole situation could be _so_ much worse.

And of course, this is her life, because, when she opens her front door to let Paul out, who's standing there but said distraught vampire ex?

Who also looks sorta pissed.

 _Why is this my life?_

LRLRLRLRLR

 **AN:** Long time coming guys, but I hope it was at least a little worth it. As you can guess, I've lost the passion for this story, but I'm trying to get it back, so don't worry! The next update should not take nearly as long; I'd say maybe the 20th.

I'm thinking of doing the next chapter in Paul's POV, so I hope I can pull it off. It's weird how he barely got any screen time or mention in the books, but fanfic writers have fleshed it out and made him into this whole character with a backstory and a set personality that's so natural it seems like it's canon. Anyway, it's mostly gonna be his thoughts on what's happened so far and how he feels about the situation and his future with Bella.

Until next time!


	7. Author Note

This is not me putting this story on hold or abandoning it, so don't worry. I'd just like to say a few things and hopefully you guys read this because I have to address a few things.

I'm not the type of writer who gets a review and has to go on a whole tangent about it, but I am because I have to explain to a few people how I write, specifically how I'm writing _this story_.

A couple people reviewed and said that they didn't like how I rushed things last chapter and skipped over the big convo and everything important, and I'm here to say that that's just the way things are sometimes gonna go with this story for two reasons in particular.

One: I fucking hate my dialogue in this story. I don't know what it is, if it sounds weird because it doesn't sound like the actual characters or what, but I just _don't like my dialogue_. And it's only in this story, because my other stuff, published or drafts, has dialogue that I'm comfortable publishing. I know everyone was anticipating seeing the talk play out, but when I sat down to write it, I got stuck. THAT'S WHY IT TOOK ME SO LONG TO UPDATE. So I eventually removed the obstacle, rewrote the chapter in a way that I felt was good enough for me to finally give to people who'd been waiting so long, and figured that people would be at least content with knowing the gist of what happened and it's immediate aftermath and be happy to just move along with the story. I am, of course, trying to work on this, but it obviously doesn't happen overnight.

Two: I've mentioned before (pretty sure) that I lost inspiration for this story a while back, and I've been trying to get it back. However, between getting into new fandoms and wanting to write new fics and my personal decision to not start new stories while I have an unfinished one, it's been pretty hard. I also have a lot of personal shit going on, and sometimes I don't have the time or will to write. So, when I do, I find myself sometimes trying to move the story along _so it can be finished_. When I first started this story, I imagined it being 25-35 chapters long and now I can barely see past the one I'm writing. I can't even name the chapters until I finish writing them! So I promise that I will see this through, because I swore to never abandon one of my stories. I'll try my best to answer all questions that may pop up and not rush through a lot of things, but I need you guys to bear with me. It's hard to finish reading a story that you're not interested in, and writing's no different.

And to the people who think that I skipped everything important, I _gave_ you guys the important parts, and a lot of the things mentioned in this chapter will eventually be explored in greater detail and explained, probably in the next few chapters, so be patient, or stop reading. It's honestly your choice. If you don't like the way I do things, you don't have to read what I write. No one's making you, and I wouldn't blame you since I post infrequently. If you choose to stick around, then great. If not, then I wish you the best and I hope you find something that tickles your fancy.

UPDATE INFO

I do plan to still update on the 20th, but I'd like to know whether you guys would rather:

A. have me post frequently but have the chapters be like normal length

B. have me post every three weeks to a month and have longer chapters

Let me know so I can set up some kind of schedule and finish this story in a timely matter. I don't know if anyone else noticed, but it's been almost _a fucking year_ since I published this story and I'm only on _chapter fucking seven_. I realized this yesterday and it alarmed me a great deal. Hopefully it won't be another six months before I finish this thing.


	8. Eye of the Wolf

**Disclaimer:** I do not, in any way, own Twilight. If I did, I would have already accomplished my goal to be a best-selling, well-known author.

 **Acknowledgements:** I'd like to shout-out a few people, the first being **the newest daughter** , who I really hope is feeling better by now. **Ashatan87** , I love the fact that your review was so in-depth and that you seem to like the story so much; I hope I answer all of your questions! A very supportive reviewer was **mowmers,** and I just wanted to say thanks for being concerned and I'm glad that you live my version of the characters so far. And last but definitely not least, **orchidluv**. You're my number one, and I love you for it! Thanks for sticking with me and the story, as slowly as it's moving. I hope you guys enjoy the chapter!

 **AN:** In case you guys couldn't tell by the title, we're at Paul's POV! I was so excited to write this and even more excited for you guys to read it because it's longer than usual and I felt like this one flowed a little better. I think Paul's POV works better for me, so I can definitely do this a lot. I know I'm a little late, but I got called into work on a few of my off days.

Fun fact: the name of this chapter comes from the fact that I was listening to 'Eye of the Tiger' while writing this. Anyway, let's get do this.

 **Chapter 7: Eye of the Wolf**

Standing between a tiny slip of a girl who just so happens to be my soulmate, designated to me by the spirits of my people, and her pissed off, pansy ass ex-boyfriend who just so happens to be a vampire and my natural nemesis, I know that this, _this whole fucked-up situation_ , is gonna get worse before it gets better.

LRLRLRLR

This whole thing started when Baby Alpha made up his mind that Swan was gonna be his. It wouldn't be such a big thing if it was any other girl in the fuckin' universe. Literally any other girl.

But, no. He just had to latch onto the vampire's girlfriend, the one who was practically part of the leech's "family", _the same one who apparently had an entire army of newborns coming for her._

Great choice, Black.

So now almost the entire pack is in a damn field in the middle of the night because Black's trying to get some and he has to go through a whole lotta vampire shit to get it. Also, the town could most definitely be in a shitload of danger, but I'm pretty sure that takes a backseat to his dick.

Clearwater was near me, hanging at the back of the group (because I'm not gonna sit in the front like a fuckin' loser), when Black showed up with the little leech lover. It was a little odd that he brought her, considering her boyfriend was across the field with his coven, glaring daggers.

As soon as she finished greeting everyone, Clearwater went and sat by her. I don't really know how they became 'besties', but it's funny as hell and totally innocent, so no one takes any issue with it. She'd pet him like a dog for a while, then they settled down and she put headphones in.

I could see her watching the blond vamp and the fights, the way he called the others and paired them up based on strengths and weaknesses only he could see.

And then I saw him scan the crowd, and our eyes locked.

And then he said my name, which shocked the hell out of me because I didn't think any of them knew who I was.

And then I moved forward, and I happened to glance over at Swan, _and my entire fucking life changed_.

Our eyes connected, and I literally felt a part of me attach to what had to be her.

She was now the central focus of my mind; she was my world.

Everything that I'd known or felt had changed in a _literal_ second, and this was of course one of the most important moments that would happen in my life.

So, of course, I just had to turn to her douche of a boyfriend and _think_ to him what the fuck just happened.

 _Uh-oh Glitterdick, shit just got real bad for you_.

Though I'm forcing the words to him, there's an underlying image of her face, and it's just the most beautiful thing I've ever seen.

He must hear me, because I hear a broken sound escape, too low for human ears.

But I don't care.

As I draw closer to her, _touch_ her and feel her blush, her soft skin, nothing matters except for her.

I hear Black in the background yelling, annoyance breaking through the haze of my euphoria at finding my soulmate. It also breaks her out of hers, I notice with amusement.

I love the way that she already seems to get punch-drunk from my presence, lured in by my voice. She'll try to fight it, but it won't work.

 _Poor little pale face, you have no idea what's coming your way._

This changes shit for everyone, but I don't give a damn.

I just imprinted, and if they've got a problem, then they can all collectively suck my balls.

LRLRLRLR

The next couple of days were a total shitshow.

Jacob lost his shit _immediately_. He couldn't even be near Paul without trying to fight or glare him to death. Sam took control of the situation, which Paul didn't give a damn about considering Jacob was irrelevant in the whole scheme of things. The kid didn't have a chance when she was just in a committed relationship; the fact that he saw her meet her _literal_ soulmate should have given him that final push to give up on getting in her pants.

Especially considering the fact that that right now belonged exclusively to Paul himself, and he'd kill anyone who thought differently.

Basically, the entire pack was flipping out, either incredulous or laughing their asses off. Not at he and Bella themselves, because that shit is sacred, but at the fucked up situation.

The girl was his soulmate, but she attracted danger and supernatural shit like nobody's business. Karma's a total bitch, because everything he'd thought was funny when it was _Jacob's_ problem was suddenly _his_ problem.

It was still funny, but it was an unbelievable amount of shit.

Sam took it upon himself to take Paul aside and gave him the whole big spiel about how much Bella's been through and if he hurt her, he'd find some kind of fucked up punishment that would make Paul wish he'd never been born. Seth tried to do the same, and Paul humored him, but they both knew that if he wanted to, Paul could beat Seth in two point five seconds.

Sam and Seth had also given him a _lot_ of information that he wasn't aware of before the whole situation. He'd wondered how she got into all of this shit, and it wasn't really her fault.

The girl just had really shitty luck.

She moved to a remote town just to immediately get drawn into some vampirical shit because some hundred year old pussy didn't know how to keep just about the most important secret in the world. Then a bunch of shit goes down, he drops her like a fucking mixtape, she does some incredibly brave shit to save him, and somewhere along the way, some vamp chick decides to come kill her and just brings a fucking army. Then, on top of all that, she goes through so much shit for this guy because she thinks he's the love of her life, only to come literally face to face with her soulmate, meaning that she did all of that shit for nothing.

Rough shit, right?

Paul's actually glad that she's his imprint because she obviously needs someone to keep her ass out of trouble.

LRLRLRLR

It was around one in the afternoon when Paul found himself at Swan's house.

Did she tell him to come over after she got out of school? Yes.

Did he listen to her at all? Obviously not, so stop being a smart ass.

It's not like he couldn't wait to see her, hear her voice, see how well her hips fill his hands, hear her breathy little moans . . .

Got a little off topic there.

It's not like he's expecting anything from her anytime soon, because he's pretty sure that she's a virgin. He knows that she has to straighten out the whole situation with the vamp, and that she's not going to just suddenly fall onto his dick as soon as she sees him, but he just can't stop thinking about her.

That's why he came a little early, so he could get his shit together and find out what they're gonna do. Whether they're going to try to do this thing together, or they're gonna be friends or what. Is she gonna break up with the leech? Is he going to be around a lot, or is she gonna try to keep them separate?

That's why he's here, to get answers.

And he can _feel_ that she's home, like something in his chest that's pulling him towards her. She most likely felt it too, and it had kept her home from school.

Which is why she probably wouldn't mind if he just let himself in by climbing through a second story window.

As he followed her scent to what he correctly assumed was her room, he noticed that he heard music. He also noticed that she had good taste in music. Not particularly his scene, but it sounded cool.

She didn't notice him at first, but when she did, it was like time froze. They stared at each other for the longest time, and then they both seemed to make the decision to get it started.

Of course she asked how he got in, but she doesn't need to know that, and they have more important things to talk about.

Like the fact that she technically has a boyfriend, who's over a hundred years old and is a vampire and a total bitch.

In the following hours, he learns so much about her, and he can tell she's surprised about the things he tells her.

He learns how she got the silver bite mark on her wrist, and how she was brave enough to go toe to toe with a crazy fucking vampire who would undoubtedly kill her in the most painful way possible, all because she wanted to protect her mom.

She's overjoyed to find out that he likes to read, and he's secretly pleased that his imprint's a huge fucking nerd.

She tells him how she always took control of the household because her mom was irresponsible and how she felt that she kind of missed out on childhood and being a normal teenager, which he understands and feels bad about, especially since she came to Forks for normalcy and got a fucking Hellmouth.

He tells her funny stories about the pack that she missed, and he loves watching her laugh with abandon.

It's been so long since he'd actually had a conversation with a girl, with anybody in fact. Something where they actually found things out about the other person without the intent to get into bed with each other.

He doesn't know if it's the imprint, or just who she is, but it's nice, and he likes it.

LRLRLRLR

It's getting late when she's finished making dinner, and he's been enjoying just watching her in her element. She's the clumsiest little thing he's ever met, but she doesn't falter once in the kitchen. It's like she's on autopilot, and it's clear that she enjoys cooking a lot. He knows she does because of all the food she used to bring over when she first started hanging with the pack. Anytime she came around, there was always some kind of dessert or snack or meal accompanying her. Emily loved her instantly, if only because of all the extra help that no one else ever gave her.

He'd wondered where her dad was, because of course he knew that he never came home. He would have heard him, either when he entered the house or when he had a fucking heart attack because a guy was in his daughter's room for god knows how long while he wasn't home.

His silent question is answered when the man in question calls and tells Bella that he's not gonna be coming home for dinner. By her response, he can tell that this is a normal thing, and it gave him an uncomfortable feeling to know that she's alone some nights, when there are so many supernatural creatures out to get her.

She asks him to stay for dinner, but he knows he has to get back because the pack is undoubtedly waiting to see how it went. Sam had been texting him for the last few hours almost constantly after Paul let him know that he was going to see Bella. Thankfully, Black had still been at school, so he hadn't had to watch that bitchfit when Sam told him. He'll make sure to watch it through someone's memories, because that had to be funny as hell.

Anyone could tell that she'd been hanging around the pack for a while, because she cut him a piece of lasagna that barely fit in the container she put it in. He makes sure that she knows he's appreciative. She doesn't have to cook for him, but it means a lot that she wants to feed him, considering the fact that his mother was almost never home to cook for him, meaning he had to fend for himself.

It's sweet that she walks him to the door, and he realizes that there are a lot of things that are sweet about her. She's awkward and adorable and she listens to crazy fucking music. She's clumsy as hell, and the fact that she took ballet when she was a kid.

She likes listening to him talk, and she actually cares about what he has to say.

So when the door opens and he sees her pasty, undead _ex_ -boyfriend, he's not worried.

In fact, he straight out smirks.

He wants her, and he's gonna make sure that she wants him, too.

So if this walking glitter bomb thinks that he's gonna make this easy on him, he's got another fucking thing coming.

LRLRLRLR

 **AN:** And there we have it! This took a lot less time than usual, so I hope you guys enjoyed it. For the people who reviewed and explained themselves, it's not a big deal. My feelings weren't hurt or whatever, I just had to explain how things are gonna go.

Speaking of reviews, a few of you voted and there was a good mix of opinions. A lot of you said that you would like longer chapters every couple weeks, and most of you just want me to finish this any way I can. I'm gonna try to make these chapters longer, but I'm gonna be pretty busy for the next month or so. Things will be back to normal (probably better) in December, but I'll try to get as much done before then.


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